Locomotive-pilot coupling



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheen 1.

S. R. HEIDELBERG. LOGOMOTIVE PILOT GOUPLING.

No. 553,340. Patented Jan. 21, 1896.

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" Hnnmnml l 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Model.) l

` AS. R. HEIDELBERG.-

. LOGOMOTIVE'PILOT QOU-PLING.

No. 553,340. Patented J'anf21. 1896.

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A N QN( 1% AN DREW BLRHAM. PHOTOUTHJWSHINGTUNJL UNITED STATES PATENTOFFICE.

SAMUEL n. HEIDELBERG, or PALESTINE, AssIeNoE or ONE-HALE 'ro 1I. n.EowLAND, or TYLER, TEXAS.-

LOCOMOTIVE-PILOT COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming pari. of Letters Patent No. 553,340, dated January2l, 1896.

Application filed September 19, 1895. Serial No. 563,038. (No model.)

To all whom t may concern:

Beit known that I, SAMUEL RHEIDELBERG, a citizen of the United States,residing at Palestine, in the county of Anderson and State of Texas,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Locomotive-PilotCouplings, of which the following is a specification. This inventionrelates to certain new and useful improvements in locomotive pilotcouplings; and it consists substantially in such features ofconstruction, arrangement, and combinations of parts as willhcreinafterbe more particularly described.

The invention has reference more particu larly to the means by which thebar is elevated or raised to a position for coupling, and ithas for itsobject to simplify such means and to render the same much more reliableand effective than heretofore.

A further object is the conformability of the lifting devices ormechanism to the lateral or swinging movements of the bar in therounding of curves or sharp bends, and also to prevent shock and unduestrain upon the devices in the application of the motive power tooperate the same.

A still further object of the invention is the more secure coupling ofthe pilot or draw bar with a car or other vehicle, as well as the easyand ready aligning of the bar whenever a cou pling thereof is being madeupon curves or bends in the track, and, finally, the invention has forits object the automatic release of the jaw of the coupler-head of thebar'so as to bring the same to an open position each time the bar islowered upon the pilot.

The above objects I attain by the means illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings, in which- Figure l is a side elevation in part sectionrepresenting my improved lifting mechanism as located and arranged withrespect to the pilot of a locomotive, the dotted lines representing thepilot-bar in its raised or elevated position. Fig. 2 is a frontelevation representing the means by which the baris turnedv or swung toone side for effecting alignment .thereof with a couplensection on a caror other vehicle. Fig. 3 is an enlarged view in detail representing themeans for automatically releasing and opening the jaw of thecouplersection of the drawbar whenever the latter is lowered intoposition upon the pilot. Fig. l is an enlarged view in part section ofthe coupler-section of the draw-bar. Fig. 5 is a plan view of acoupler-section of the ordinary J anney type. Fig. 6 is an enlargedvertical sectional elevation of the devices or mechanism by which thelifting of the draw-bar is effected on the admission of a suitable motorfluid.

In the practice of my invention I employ in connection with the pilot ordraw bar a suitable lifting-rod that is actuated by a pis ton onadmission to the piston-cylinder of the motor uid, and while variousconstructions could be resorted t-o for the purpose I prefer the generalconstruction and arrangement of devices herein shown, and aswill`hereinafter be more particularly described. The devices are underthe con trol ofthe engineer or other operator in the cab of the engine,and while I may use either steam or airas the motor fluid I prefer thelatter in a compressed state, and which, instead of being supplied fromthe saine source as that which supplies the air-brakes, is stored up ina separate tank or reservoir located beneath the locomotive or otherconvenient point. I furthermore resort to the use of a peculiar form ofcoupler section designed to operate in connection with any of theyordinary sections of the Janney type, and in order to enable lateralturning of the bar for the purposes of alignment I employ suitablehand-operated devices, also more specifically described hereinafter.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, l represents the frontcrosspiece of an ordinary locomotive, and 2 the pilot or cowcatcher,which is of ordinary form and which is supported or held in position inany suitable manner. Centrally of the said crosspiece l is arranged. anordinary draw-head 3, in which is held or supported loosclyby means of apin 4 the pilot or draw bar 5, which is of the' usual or well-knownform. 'Io effect the raising or lifting of the said bar to a horizontalposition I employ beneath the pilot and in suitable supports thereforthe devices which are under the control of the engineer in the cab ofthe engine, and which are set into m0- tion on the admission of air orother suitable ICO motor fluid. These devices consist principally of aplunger or piston and a lifting-bar in movable connection with thedrawbar, and while various forms could be resorted to I prefer inpractice the construction shown and about to be described. In a suitableframe or support 6, constructed and arranged beneath the pilot orcow-catcher, is located a socket 7, which is preferably of cast-iron orother suitable material, and which is formed or provided with a recess8, the sides of which are flaring or beveled at 9. The said socket isfor the reception and support of the elongated base portion 10 of amotor-fluid chamber 11, which latter is screw-threaded interiorly at 12to receive the correspondingly screw-threaded lower end of theplungercylinder 13, as shown. Other constructions could be resorted tofor uniting the cylinder with said chamber in both a steam and air tightmanner, and if desired a' suitable packing might be used.

The elongated base portion 10 is straightsided for a distance equal tothe depth of the recess in the socket, and it is the purpose to havesuch base portion comparatively heavy in order that there will be notendency of the plunger or piston to lift the cylinder and chamber fromthe socket, and also that the said cylinder and other ad juncts to thelifting devices will be properly supported in position. By reason of theconstruction shown the lifting mechanism is permitted to turn or yieldin any direction and thereby be selfconforming to lateral movements ofthe pilot or draw bar.

The motor-iiuid chamber 11 is beveled on its outer side at 15, andleading from the interior of the chamber is a passage 16 for permittingthe escape of the motor uid when the pilot or draw bar is lowered uponthe pilot. The lower end of the cylinder fits within the upper part ofthe chamber 11, as explained, while fitting the upper end of saidcylinder is a cap 17, which is elongated at 18 to furnish an increasedbearing for the hollovr piston or plunger rod 19. Said rod screws into ascrew-threaded portion 2O of a plunger or piston 21, and the saidplunger or piston is formed or provided on its under side with anextension 22 which rests upon the bottom of the fluid-chamber when thepilot-bar is down, and which also operates a valve 23, which closes theinner end of the passage 16 whenever the piston is raised by the actionof the motor fluid. The Huid-inlet passage or opening is indicated at24, and leading from which is a pipe 25, which extends to a tank orreservoir 26 located at any convenient part of the locomotive. In orderto permit of the universal movement of the piston-rod and cylinder inthe manner herein explained, the said Huid-supply pipe 25 may of itselfbe a flexible pipe or else a metal pipe the ends of which are providedwith flexible tube connections both with the lower part of the cylinderand the tank from which the fluid is supplied.

In this way the said pipe will be permitted to conform to any movementof the cylinder within its socket.

The extension 22 of the piston is preferably screw-threaded, as shown at27, and beneath the piston is a packing-ring of leather or othersuitable material that is held in place by means of a washer 28 and anut 29 screwing onto the extension. Surrounding the hollow piston-rod 19is a spring 30, which rests upon the piston and normally exerts a slightpressure between said piston and the cap 17 of the cylinder, andwhenever the piston is acted upon by the motor fluid said spring assistsin imparting a yielding action and prevents undue shocks and strain.Extending into the hollow piston-rod for its whole length and resting byits lower end upon the upper surface of the piston is a lifting-rod 31,which at its upper end is in movable connection with a clamp or yoke 32which embraces or surrounds the pilot or draw bar, and it is through thedirect medium of said lifting-rod that the draw-bar is raised.

From the foregoing it will be seen that in order to lift or elevate thedraw-bar it is simply necessary to turn the valve or cock 35 to admitthe motor fluid to the chamber 11, whereupon the pressure of such fluidwill cause the piston and rod to rise, and from the described connectionbetween the lifting-rod and the draw-bar the latter will be elevated tothe proper height and position. IVhenever v the pressure of the motorfluid upon the piston is relieved, the spring 30 tends to force saidpiston downwardly, and the parts are restored as before. As soon as theextension on the under side of the piston leaves the stem of the valvein the huid-chamber, the pressure of the iuid entering the chamber atonce closes the valve to prevent escape of such fluid. When the pistondescends, however, the said extension again lifts the valve and permitsescape of the fluid or condensations thereof if steam is employed. Fromthe construction of the socket, together with the base of theHuid-chamber, it is evident that the cylinder and lifting devices as awhole will readily conform to any lateral or sidewise swinging of thepilot-bar due to the motion of the locomotive in travel.

It has been found in practice that in addition to thelateral tilting ofthe cylinder, which is effected by the swinging movement of the draw-barin the rounding of curves, there is a tendency of the cylinder to turnor partially rotate, as on a longitudinal axis, and this partialmovement is greatly hindered by the use of supporting-trunnions on thesides of the cylinder, as heretofore practiced, because of the bindingaction produced between the trunnions and their supports, which latterpermit ready conformability only of the cylinder in two directions atright angles to each other. By my construction a ready conformability ofthe cylinder is had in all directions, and particularly to the movementwhich lis IOO IIO

necessarily imparted thereto when the point of attachment of thepiston-rod to the drawbar is made to turn in or describe an are of acircle of any considerable extent.

For the purpose of enabling the pilot-coup- 4 which is provided with aneye 42 fitting` around a crank-shaft 43, that is supported or held inbearings 43 of a bracket 44, secured in any suitable manner to the frontof the frame of the locomotive at one side of the pilot. (See Fig. 2.)The said crank-shaft is provided with a hand-wheel 45, and it is evidentthat by grasping said wheel and turning the same in the proper directionthe outer end of the connecting-rod will be carried outwardly and thedraw-bar correspondingly turned to one side. Other means could beemployed for shifting or turning the said draw-bar to one side in themanner explained, but the construction shown and described has beenfound exceedingly simple and effective, and is therefore preferred.

l Vhile any suitable form of coupling device may be employed inconnection with the bar I preferably adapt the same to almost any of thewell-known coupler-sections of the Janney type, and therefore havedevised a special form of coupler-section which is secured to the end ofthe bar in any suitable manner. The said coupler-section is representedas a whole at A, and is provided-with the rigid jaws 50 5l, betweenwhich is loosely held, by means of a pivot 52, a pivoted or swinging jaw53, which is provided with the portion 54 for interlocking with asimilar jaw of some other coupler-section, and a tailpiece 55, which isengaged by alatch or similar lookin g device for maintaining the said.swinging jaw in coupled relation. While various forms of lockingdevices could be employed in connection with the jaw I prefer agravitycatch 56, which is pivoted in a recess 57 in.

the coupler-section, and whenever the swinging jaw is brought intocoupled relation said catch drops before the end ofthe tail-piece andholds the jaw securely. The upper inner edge of the tailpiece of theswinging jaw is tapered or beveled at 58, andwhen the jaw is open thegravity-catch 56 is elevated and rests thereon, it being the movement ofthe tailpiece from beneath the catch that causes the latter to drop. Thecoupler-section on the car or other vehicle may be of any of the usualforms-such, for instance, as shown in Fig. 5-and wherein the lockingdevice for the j aw is released by the operator on the car through themedium of a chain or lever 60. Thus when it is desired to release ordisengage the coupler-section on the car from the draw-barcoupler-section it is simply necessary to operate the chain or lever onthe car, and in this way the operator is not exposed to any danger.W'hile the caror other vehicle is thus separated or disconnected it isevident that the jaw of the coupler-section of the draw-bar is still inits locked position, and in order that such jaw may be opened andbrought into position for eifecting a coupling when the bar is nextraised for that purpose I employ suitable means for raisin g the catchautomatically and pushing the jaw outwardly. Various means forperforming this result could be resorted to, and while I have hereinrepresented certain preferred means or devices it will be understoodthat I am not Y limited thereto in any particular. These preferreddevices consist of a swinging lever 70 constructed in the shape of acurved hook 7l, having an offset 7 2, and being pivoted at 73 to theside of the central bars of the pilot. (See Fig. 3.) The gravity-catchis formed at an angle of about fortyfive degrees, and is designed tocome into contact with the oifset or projection 72 of the lever. Thus itwill be seen that when the draw-bar is lowered upon the pilot thepush-pin 75 strikes the offset,thereby elevating the gravity-catch andreleasing the jaw of the coupler-section and the lever 70 is at the sametime swung upwardly and by riding beneath or striking the tailpiece 55of saidjaw the latter is opened or carried outwardly. The action isentirely automatic, and when the jaw is turned outwardly thegravitycatch is 'of course held upward in readiness to again fall whennext a coupling is made.

From the foregoing description taken in connection with the accompanyingillustrations it is thought the construction and operation' of myinvention will be fully understood, and, as before stated, I am notlimited to the particular devices which have herein been selected as theforms wh ich are preferred in practice.

I claim- 1. In means for lifting or elevating locomotive pilot ordraw-bars, a cylinder freely seated to turn in all directions inconformity to the movements of the bar, and connected with a motor uidsupply, a piston working in the cylinder, and a movable connectionbetween the piston and bar, substantially as described.

2. In means for lifting or elevating locomotive pilot or draw-bars, asocket located beneath the pilot, a cylinder freely seated in saidsocket to turn in all directions in conformity to the movements of thebar, and connected with a motor iiuid supply, a piston working in thecylinder, and a movable connection between the piston rod and bar,substantially as described.

3. In means for lifting or elevating locomotive pilot or draw-bars, asocket having beveled sides, a, cylinder having a straight sided bottomextension fitting in said socket, a motor fluid supply connecting withsaid cylin- IOO IOS

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der, a piston working in the cylinder, and an operative connectionbetween said piston and the bar, substantially as described.

4. In means for lifting or elevating locomotive pilot or draw-bars, asocket, a motor fluid chamber having a bottom extension loosely fittingwithin said socket, and provided with a motor fluid supply, and adischarge passage controlled by a valve, acylinder fitting said chamber,a piston having an extension resting upon the bottom of said chamber andnormally maintaining the valve in an open position, a hollowT piston rodtted to the piston,` a spring tending to lower the piston, and a liftingrod operated by the piston and in movable connection with the pilot-bar,substantially as described.

5. In means for lifting or elevating locomotive pilot or draw-bars, asocket having beveled sides, a motor fluid chamber having a bottomextension loosely fitting Within said socket, and provided with a motorfluid supply, and a passage controlled by a valve, a cylinder fitting insaid chamber, a piston having a screw threaded extension resting on thebottom of said chamber and normally maintaining the valve in an openposition, a packing ring and washer beneath the piston and a nutsecuring them in place, a hollow pistonrod, a springqsurrounding saidrod, and a lifting bar operated by the piston and in movable connectionwith the draw-bar, substantially as described.

6. In means for operating locomotive pilot or draw-bars, the combinationwith the bar, and means for lifting the same, of a swinging rodconnected at one end to said bar, and at the other end to a. cranksupported at one side of the pilot, and means for operating said crank,substantially as described.

7. The combination with the draw-bar, of

' the coupler-section provided with the swingn ing through thecoupler-section, and the pivoted curved lever on the pilot, the samehaving the offset which is struck by the tail piece when the bar islowered upon the pilot, substantially in the manner shown and for thepurpose described. l

9. The combination with the draw-bar, of the coupler-section providedwith the swinging jaw, a catch for locking said jaw in coupled relationwith a jaw of another section,

' and means located in part upon the pilot for releasing said catch andforcing the jaw outward when the draw-bar is lowered, substantially asdescribed.

l0. The combination with the draw-bar, of the coupler-section having theswinging jaw provided with the beveled edge, the gravity catch having atail piece projecting through the coupler section, and means on thepilot automatically releasing said catch by en gagement with thetail-piece, substantially as dcscribed.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing Witnesses.

SAMUEL R. HEIDELBERG.

lVitnesses CHAs. McDowELL, S. W. LrrrLEJoHN.,

